Posts Tagged ‘stocks’

The .380 also know as 9mm shortis not in the same performance category as the 9mm

The last fifteen years have seen serious changes in the framework within which regular American people obtain and use handguns for personal defense. On the unhelpful side the federal Crime Bill of 1994 limited magazine capacity and put new restrictions on ammunition manufacturers’ freedom to develop high-performance handgun loads. On the helpful side more and more concealed-carry laws are being enacted every year at the state level, with the total of states now allowing some form of legal civilian concealed handgun carry now standing at 47 and more are likely to join that list. The result has been significant change in the comparative market share and availability of various cartridges and handgun formats, with a large increase in the popularity of small, pocket-size autoloading pistols and an attendant incorporation of previous “duty level” cartridges into ever-smaller guns. The market for related firearm accessories and shooting supplies including stocks, grips, scopes, holsters, gun cases, sights, binoculars and cleaning equipment has also shifted.

When it comes to personal-defense carry, most people buy small guns. The single largest category of handguns bought in the US during the last 15 years has been petite, short-barrel, pocket-size protection models-autoloaders and revolvers alike. Overall, compact concealment-size handguns account for more than 70 percent of all current civilian handgun sales, and autoloaders account for approximately 75 percent of that number (according to the most current BATF statistics). In terms of caliber selection the two most popular choices within this main portion of the overall handgun pie are the .380 ACP and the 9mm.

In the present market, compact and pocket-size guns available for the 9mm and the .380 have essentially the same range of available features and performance capabilities-in fact, identical pocket-size 9mm and .380 pistol versions are increasingly available from the same manufacturer. You can choose among single-action, double-action, with the same type of sighting setups and safety-operating mechanisms, and choices of steel, aluminum, or molded-polymer frames for either cartridge. Which means the choice is really between the capabilities of the cartridges, not the guns. There is also a wide selection of firearm accessories like grips, sights and holsters to consider when making a choice. (more…)